


home is where the heart is

by enamuko



Series: FE Rarepair Week 2k17 [7]
Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: F/F, best moms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-12
Updated: 2017-03-12
Packaged: 2018-10-03 00:09:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10231151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enamuko/pseuds/enamuko
Summary: Flora takes her new family to her ancestral home.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Remember when I promised more f/f? I actually originally wanted to close out on another Iagorrin prompt, just to bookend things nicely, but I ended up getting hit hard with a plot bunny for this particular ship. I blame the recent Flora supports added to unassumingvenusaur's Gay Fates hack (or more accurately which will be added in the next update, but which can be seen on the Gay Awakening/Fates YouTube channel right now). Especially because the Flora/Azura support line was really cute, and got me shipping these two when I never would have considered them before. So thanks, Gay Fates!

                “It really isn’t much farther—it’s just over that ridge, in fact.”

Azura squeezed Flora’s hand for both affection and support. She wasn’t used to walking so far in the snow—even the army marches hadn’t prepared her for a trek like this. But Flora had been so obliging, finding them places to stop and rest, lighting fires to keep her warm, and she’d even had special clothes made for her so she wouldn’t get too cold. She was sure the journey would have taken half as long if it was just Flora by herself, but she’d been so patient with her.

“I’m glad I’ll finally be meeting your father,” she said as they started the steady climb upwards. Thankfully the path seemed better traveled than it had been before that point, so the only thing she had to worry about was the snow, which Flora was helpfully clearing away for her as she walked ahead. “You’re certain he won’t mind such a sudden visit?”

“Oh, he’s always telling Felicia and I to come home any time in his letters,” she replied, pausing to help Azura climb over a rock in the path. “I’m sure he’ll be more than happy just to meet you. …To meet both of you.”

Flora peered down into the bundle she was holding, waggling a finger in front of the opening. Shigure giggled, but couldn’t reach out to grab her finger like she normally would have. He was too tightly bundled up in the oilskin clothing and wrap Flora had found for him. At first Azura had been nervous about the prospect of bringing a baby on such a long journey with such difficult weather, but Flora had assured her it would be fine, and she _was_ the one who had come from the Ice Tribe—surely she knew better between the two of them.

“Is he still nice and warm?” she asked as she pulled her cloak tightly around her.

“Of course. And we’ll get both of you something warm to drink when we get there,” Flora said with a smile, tucking Shigure gently into the crook of her arm. “And a nice warm fire, too. Won’t that be nice?” Flora slipped a little into baby talk at the end, holding Shigure close.

As they crested the ridge, Azura spotted the lights in the near distance. Standing at the edge of the town—though it didn’t exactly have clearly defined borders—was a man who was severely underdressed for the weather. (Then again, Flora wasn’t much better—though at least she wasn’t wearing anything as unseasonal as the frilly uniform she wore as a servant.)

“Flora. I’m so happy you’ve finally arrived.” The man greeted them with open arms; Azura realized he must be Flora’s father, the chief of the Ice Tribe.

“I’m sorry we’re late. I know my letter said we were going to be here a few days ago…”

“It’s my fault, really. I’m afraid I’m not used to travelling in weather conditions like this. Though Flora made an excellent guide.” Seeing the look on Flora’s face, Azura couldn’t help but step in. Kilma had nothing but smiles for the both of them, however.

“It’s really no trouble at all. I’m just happy to see both of you have arrived safely.” He stepped forward as if to hug Flora, but stopped when he saw what was in her arms. “Pardon—all three of you. This must be Shigure.”

“Of course.” Flora beamed so proudly that Azura thought she could feel the warmth of her smile from several feet away. “But we really should be getting inside, don’t you think?”

“Yes, yes! There’s a warm meal and an even warmer fire waiting for all of you.” Kilma placed one hand between Flora’s shoulder blades and one between Azura’s, guiding the two of them towards one of the oh-so-inviting buildings.

 

               “I’m glad to finally be meeting my daughter in law… and my grandson.” Kilma bounced Shigure on his knee. The baby giggled, making grabbing hands at his grandfather. “I could hardly believe it when she wrote to me to say the two of you had gotten married. And I was even more shocked when I heard about this little fellow.”

Kilma tickled Shigure’s stomach, sending him into another fit of giggles. Azura was more than happy to let him entertain the baby while she curled up on a comfortable chair, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders and a hot cup of tea in hand. The fire crackled in the earth, threatening to lull her to sleep; after such a long journey, it was hard to stay awake, but she didn’t want to be rude.

“I’m pleased to finally be meeting you as well,” Azura replied, taking a sip of her tea. Already the chill from the harsh winds outside had been chased away. “And I’m glad that Shigure is getting to meet his grandfather. Flora speaks about you quite a lot.”

It wasn’t always in a strictly positive way—but Kilma didn’t need to know that, at least not now. And it wasn’t as though she didn’t have a lot of positive things to say about her father, too. Either way, Azura was glad to finally be meeting him.

“And she writes a great deal about you.” Kilma tucked Shigure into the crook of his arm, fluttering a soft scrap of cloth over him to keep him amused. “I feel as if I already know you.”

“I feel the same,” Azura replied, glad things were going so well. After everything Flora had told her about her relationship with her father, she’d been worried things were going to be awkward—and she couldn’t help but feel a bit frustrated on her behalf—but everything had been perfectly lovely so far, and Flora was so happy to have them visiting her home village...

“Would anyone like a snack?”

Flora swept into the room with a tray in hand, setting it on the table in front of them. She had piled it high with all sorts of snacks—some that Azura recognized, some that she didn’t, but all of them very carefully arranged and delicious looking. Azura reached for a rice cracker, which she most certainly recognized.

“Thank you, Flora.” Azura smiled as she nibbled at the rice cracker. Alongside the snacks, Flora had brought a warmed bottle of milk, and she took Shigure from Kilma’s lap.

“Yes, thank you. This tea is also quite well brewed.” And he could enjoy it now that Flora had taken Shigure from him. She sat next to her father, holding their child in the crook of her arm. Clearly the journey had tempted his appetite, because he latched onto the nipple of the bottle as soon as it was within reach.

“Slow down, slow down… you don’t want to make yourself sick…” Flora gently rocked Shigure back and forth the way he liked as he suckled at the bottle.

Azura watched the way Kilma stared at them, his expression softening as Flora fed their son. She wasn’t really paying attention to him, especially as Shigure finished drinking and she lifted him to burp him.

“Would you sing to him, Azura?” Flora asked, rising from her seat to carry Shigure over to her. “We really should put him to bed, and he always sleeps better when you sing to him.”

“O-oh.” Azura wasn’t a person who was traditionally embarrassed by performing in front of people, but when the audience in question was her father-in-law, somehow it seemed more… _important_. “Of course. Just give him here…”

Flora handed Shigure over to her and Azura tucked him comfortably into the crook of her arm. He certainly didn’t look like he needed much help getting to sleep; now that the excitement of playing with his grandfather had passed, and he had a stomach full of warm milk, he was already starting to drift off. But she started humming softly anyway, words eventually sneaking their way into the song, and she sang as much for Flora and her father as she did for Shigure.

 

               Flora climbed the old, creaking stairs, candleholder in hand. The flickering flames cast strange shadows all around her, but they weren’t nearly as frightening now as they had been when she was a child—and even then, she’d always had to worry more about reassuring Felicia than being scared herself.

The light from under her door told her that she wasn’t the only one who was still awake, although that hardly surprised her. During her days with Corrin’s army, she would often return from her late night chores to find Azura still awake, involved in one of her various activities—practicing her dancing or singing, yes, but it also wasn’t unusual to find her absorbed in a book or simply staring at the stars. She seemed to just enjoy the atmosphere of a calm night.

Just in case Azura _had_ fallen asleep (she usually wasn’t one to leave a candle burning, but accidents did happen), Flora crept inside as quietly as possible; they’d had a long trip and she didn’t want to disturb her. But though she knew her wife must be exhausted after the long trek in the snow, she was still quite awake, standing by the window that faced out over the same snowy ridges they’d spent so long crossing.

“I think I enjoy looking at the scenery from afar more than I do up close,” Azura said, clearly having heard her come in even though she’d aspired to be as quiet as possible. “Though it is quite beautiful.”

“It is, isn’t it?” Flora set the second candle on the vanity as she crept over to the bassinet that Kilma had borrowed from a neighbour. Shigure was slumbering peacefully, tucked into one of her or Felicia’s old baby blankets. “Though I’ve spent so long staring at the same scenery, I suppose some of the beauty is lost on me… I’m glad you like it, though. I was afraid the weather might be too much for you.”

“I’m just happy that there weren’t any blizzards on the way up here. I’m not sure I could have walked through that, even with a guide like you.” Azura laughed gently as she drifted away from the window and over to the bed; she left the drapes open so the moonlight could stream in through the window, bathing everything in a blueish glow. “I’m also happy you brought me here. It’s so nice to meet your father, and for Shigure to meet him.”

“It has been a wonderful evening,” Flora agreed. “Ever since the day he was born, I wanted to bring Shigure here so he could learn about his heritage… and I wanted to bring you here, too. This place is so important to me, even though I was gone for so long…”

“Believe me, I understand. Though my memories of my homeland aren’t always clear, I often felt a longing for Valla, even when I couldn’t put that longing to words. I only wish I could have brought you and Shigure to the land I remember from my childhood, rather than the ravished kingdom Anankos left.”

Flora sat on the bed alongside Azura, resting her hand on top of hers. Azura quickly laced their fingers together as the two of them stared out the window at the moon glinting off of the snow that covered her homeland.

“I’d still like to see it. And with Lady Corrin in the throne, I’m sure she will rebuild with all due haste. Especially with you there to help her.” Flora squeezed her hand reassuringly. “We can spend the winter months when the weather here is at its harshest in Valla… and then return here when the weather is calmer. Shigure will grow up surrounded by his culture and heritage.”

“I would love that, Flora,” Azura replied, leaning against her side and resting her head on her shoulder. “Thank you. For everything… and especially for inviting me into your home.”

“It’s your home, too,” Flora reminded her, as the moon made the snow shine like the sea.


End file.
